Apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils



Feb. 14, 1928. 1,658,985

' E. T. HESSLE ET AL APPARATUS FOR THE couvansxon OF HYDROGARBON OILS Filed March 20. 1925 6C llfeyemaiin Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES ERIC '1. HESSLE AND WILLY LELGEMANN, OF LOCKPORT, ILLINOIS.

APPAIBIATUS FOR THE CONVERSION OF HYDROCARBON OILS.

Application filed March 20, 1925. Serial No. 16,983.

Our invention relates to an apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils and is particularly useful in carrying out a process for this purpose as set forth in the co-pending application of Eric Th. Hessle cont nuous process for the refining of mineral oils, Serial Number 678,924, filed December 6, 1923.

It is an object of our invention to provide a simple, compact and eflicient apparatus for carrying out a process in which heavy hydrocarbon oils are converted into lighter hydrocarbon oils by subjecting the heavy oils to the action of a molten catalyzer.

Another object is to provide an apparatus which will be adapted to treat efliciently various grades of heavy hydrocarbon oils and residues from-mineral oils.

Another object is to provide a fog producing device which will efliciently handle various grades of oils and which may be easily adjusted and kept in operative condition without removal during its operation.

Another object is to provide a fog producing device which will eflect an impact between opposed streams of oil and gas with consequent production of a homogeneous Another object is to provide an apparatus in which the production of a fog of the oil to be converted takes place in a closed zone which contains a molten catalyzer, and to so construct the vessel enclosing said. zone as to cause the oil ,i'og underpressure to be forced through said molten catalyzer.

Another object is to construct the vessel containing the molten catalyzer so that the speed of the fog of oil and gas through said catalyzer may be regulated. in accordance with the nature of the oil to be converted.

Otherobiects will appear from the following description.

In the drawings a Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in cross section of our reaction kettle;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2--2 on Fig. 1;

1 is the b0 y of a reaction kettlewhich is formed with a partition 2 therein as shown. The partition 2 terminates a short distance from the bottom of the body 1, and is formed at its lower end with a serrated and perforated portion 4. The partition 2 divides the interior of the kettle 1 into two compartments 5 and 6. It has been found satisfactory for the purposes in view to position the partition 2 so that compartment 5 has approximately one-eighth of the volume of the compartment 6. While we may construct the kettle 1 of any suitable material we have found that cast iron serves the purpose very satisfactorily. In the embodiment of our invention herein shown the body 1 and the partition 2 are cast integral.

On the wall of the body 1 and on-one side of the partition 2 are a series or ribs 7 upon which are supported a series of removable perforated plates 8. The body 1 is provided at its top with a removable cover 9 which is held in place by bolts 10. Supported by the cover 9 is a tube ll-having a closed end 12 and a flanged open end 13, which is bolted to the cover 9 so as to make a fluid tight con nection therewith. The tube 11 extends downwardly into the compartment 6 and through a portion of the plates 8, as shown.

,VVithin the tube 11 is placed a temperature responsive device 14 for indicating the temperature of the material within the compartment '6. The cover 9 is provided with an outlet conduit 15 leading from the compartment 6. A pressure gauge 16 and a temperature responsive device 17 are mounted on the plate 9 and are operatively positioned with respect to the compartment 5 so as to indicate the pressure and temperature therein.

18 is a fog producing device which is detachably mounted on the wall of the body 1 by means of a flange 19 having a body portion 20 projecting within the compartment 5. The body portion 20 has a passage 21 therein for gas to which is connected a gas supply fitting 22, which is screwed into the flange 19. An oil supply passage 23 in the body portion 20 connects with an oil supply fitting 24 which is also screwed into the flange 19. At the ends of the gas and oil supply passages 21 and 23 are mounted opposed oil.

and gas nozzles 25 and 26, respectively. These nozzles are threaded .into the body portion 20 onopposite facesof a cut-away portion 27 and are so positioned that the discharge of oil impacts directly against the litted with closing plugs, as shown.

justment.

;Mounted in the fitting '24 and passing t'hrough the passage 23 is a needle valve 30 having threads 31 thereon adapted to mate Witlrthreads 32 in the fitting Qet. The int ner end olf'theneedle valve 30 is'tapered-as shown, andhasa small rod-like end -33 av hi'ch is adapted to pass through the nozzles- 2o-and 26, when the needle valve is brought to its forward position. The end i 33 thus acts to clear the nozzles Qty-and 26 of any material whichwvould tend to clog the passages therein. the nozzles and QG-may be accomplished I while the apparatus is in action and Without the removal of the tog producing device 18 from the -l-;ettle' 1. This has agreat advantage in-tlieoperation of our apparatus. The needle valve is operated by a'hand wheel 34. Oil is supplied under pressure by a pipe 35 to the *lit-ting Q l-and is supplied under pressure to'the fitting 22 by'a pipe 36. Openings 37 are provided in the wall of compartment 5 which are'fitted withlook glasses 38,,throughwhich the operator -may clearly see the-tog producing-operation and bGflClVlSQCl otthe adyustments necessary' to' efi'ect perfectresults.

source of external heat to the desired tem- .perature which, under usual conditions,

etween 350 150 degrees centigrade; which Qeauses the-catalyzer therein to assume a-moh ten state; Vi e preferably use a catalyzer,

composed of an alloy of tin and antimony.

Oilis then supplied to the fog producing device 18 through supply pipe, 35" at-a pres sure ,'Of approximately -120 pounds per square inch and a temperature of 'approxt 5c .mately '200-4:O0 degrees centigrade accord ing to the nature ot the oil employed. A hydrogeno'usgas is simultaneously supplied toflthe fog producing device 18 throughthe gas supply pipe 36 at an average pressure of "50poundsperfsquare inch. This pressure 1 will varyin accordance with the n'ature'ot .the oil employed, but will always be slight ly below the pressure of'the oil. Thisgives.

- .a ;-'1nor'e balanced impact between the ets' of Qoil: andigas issuing from" the nozzles 25 and 26. The operator will View the production 10f the togthrough the look glasses 38 and by adjustment of-thenee'dle valve "30 will be able tobring about aperfect dispersion 1:5 and production of a; homogeneous fog.

This clearing *out of The; operation of our apparatus is as fol lows :The kettle 1 is heated. by asuitable.

time.

The temperature and pressure Within the compartment 5 will be indicated by the pressure gauge 16 and the temperature responsive device 17. The pressure of the fog in the upper part of compartment 5 will press upon the molten catalyzer and'force the same. downwardly in said compartment and consequently upwardly in the compartment 6 to the position shown by dotted lmes 1n Fig. 1. The fog will pass through the molten catalyzer by way of the serrations and perforations 4. at the end of the partition 2,-and upwardly in compartment 6 through the perforated plates 8 until it escapes in-to the-openspace above the catalyzer in compartment Here it will change to vapor, being released from the internalpressure ot the molten catalyzer and will pass out ,through the outlet pipe 15 to suitable con densers or other apparatus. .Theperforated platesw8' serve-toretardthe flow of the fog throughthe catalyzer and cause iit' t-o remain in contact therew th a greater length of time. This is particularly necessary when operating on heavy oils. One or moreot the plates 8 may be removed to give more speed to the togin accordanee'withthe amount of time it is desired to keep the fog in Contact with the cat'alyzer. The'passing of the fog of oil and gas through the catalyzer presents the greatest possible surface of the oil -beingtreated to the action ofthe catalyz'er, and consequently effects a'very eliicient conversion of the oil under the influ- 'ence of the catalyzer.

It will be seen that the oil is converted 'under the influence of the'catalyzer while in the liquid phase, which permits of. a

much larger quantity of oil being treated at one time than it the oilwere treated in a.

"gaseouslphase. The temperaturesand pressures employed are below those effecting cracking react on with. the v usual production "oit free carbon and fixed gas. The hydrog- *enous gas present ln'the reaction prevents oxidationv and sulphuration of the catalyze]:

whiclrrema'ins in the metal state for a long Om: apparatus Will operate in a substantial'ly continuous. manner andbe tree from the usual shut downs caused by the collection of carbon deposits commonly expert enced in the art. 7 r

Havlng described our apparatus, What We claim is 1. An apparatus "for the conversion of 'heavy hydrocarbon oils into lighterhydrocarbon. oils, a closed receptacle, an atomizing "device mounted thereon 'having adis'charge end projecting into said receptacl atomijzin'g "device having conduits -therein forconduc tingoiland gas separately to said said discharge. end, opposed oil and gas nozzles "mounted'on said discharge end adapted to "cause an impact-between the-discharging heavy hydrocarbon oils into lighter hydrocarbon oils, a closed receptacle, an atomizing device mounted thereon having a discharge end projecting into said receptacle, means for conducting oil and gas separately to said discl'iarge end, opposed oil and gas nozzles mounted on said discharge end adapted to cause an impact between the discharging streams of oil and gas, and a needle valve for controlling the flow through one of said l5 nozzles having a projection thereon adapted to pass through said oil and gas nozzles.

3. An apparatus for the conversion of heavy hydrocarbon oils into lighter hydrocarbon oils, a closed receptacle, an atomizing "device mounted thereon having a discharge end projecting into said receptacle, said atomizing device having oil and gas conduits therein for separately conducting oil and gas to said discharge end, opposed oil and gas nozzles mounted on said discharge end adapted to cause an impact between the discharging streams of oil and gas, and a needle valve passing through said oil conduit adapted to control the flow of. oil therethrough having a projection thereon adapted to pass through said oil and gas nozzles to clear them of obstructions.

4;. In an apparatus for the conversion of oils, a fog producing device comprising a passagecl body portion for conducting separate streams of gas and of oil, and nozzles at the end of said passages in spaced opposite relation to each other, whereby said gas and oil streams are caused to impact each other to form a fog.

5. In an apparatus for the purpose described, a reaction kettle, a partition diriding said kettle into two compartments communicating near the bottom of said kettle, said kettle being adapted to be partially tilled with a stationary body of molten catalyst to a level above the lower edge of said partition and a device for producing an oil fog positioned in one of said compartments above the level of said catalyst, whereby said oil tog must pass through said catalyst in its course through said kettle.

6. In an apparatus for the catalytic conversion of oils, a reaction kettle, means defining two communicating passages therein, each of said passages lying outside of the other, a fog producing device having spaced opposed nozzles positioned within one of said passages, an oil conduit lying wholly outside of said kettle connected to one of the nozzles of said device and a gas conduit separate at all points from said oil conduit connected to the other of said nozzles, whereby a tog or oil and gas may be produced in said device and carried through a body of molten catalyst in said communicating passages.

'T. In an apparatus for the catalytic conversion of oils, a reaction kettle, means defining two communicating passages therein, a device having spaced opposed nozzles positioned within one of said passages, an oil conduit lying wholly outside of said kettle connected to one of the nozzles of said device and a gas conduit separate at all points from said oil conduit connected to the other of said nozzles, whereby a fog of oil and gas may be produced in said device and brought in contact with a catalyst in saidcommunieating passages.

8. In an apparatus for the catalytic conversion of oils, a reaction kettle, means defining two communicating passages therein, a device having spaced opposed nozzles positioned within one of said passages, an oil conduit connected to one of the nozzles 01": said device and a gas conduit separate at all points from said oil conduit connected to the other of said nozzles, whereby a fog of oil and gas may be produced in said device and carried through a body of fluid catalyst in said communicating passages.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification this 19th day of March, 1925.

ERIC TH. HESSLE. WILLY LELGEMANN. 

